Posted by Sarah Andrews

CNN's app for the iPad (from Media Bistro)

The way news is consumed today is miles away from where it started. No longer do people learn about what’s going on in the world around them from their local daily newspaper. Smart phones, the iPad and laptops have made the news available instantaneously, and consumers expect journalists and news organizations to hand-feed them the information they need. Continue reading →

Posted by Emily Krstulic

Photo courtesy of Luigi Rosa via Flickr.com

My dad is, for lack of a better way to say it, a huge computer geek (sorry, Dad!). Because of this, I am often assaulted with facts and figures about computers and the internet, most of which are about how easy it is for irresponsible internet use to destroy my computer. He seems to know everything about computer software and viruses, and has embedded in me a deep paranoia about any download, website, or link that I’m not familiar with.

But when he said to me, just weeks after I had gotten an upgrade to a shiny new BlackBerry, that I needed to be just as careful with my smart phone, I scoffed at him. Viruses are for computers; when have you ever heard of a smart phone getting a virus? I went on my merry way, clicking Twitter links and doing my internet business as usual. But I kept hearing my dad in the back of my head. “Pretty soon, they’re going to get smart enough to make viruses for the internet on your BlackBerry.”

Mobile ad firm AdMob recently released a study that illustrated the massive growth in web-capable smart phone ownership over the past year. A year ago, the Motorola Razr was the top phone in the U.S., and the iPhone was the only unit in the top ten with touchscreen capabilities. Only a year later, half the phones on the list have touchscreens, six have wi-fi capabilities, and six have app stores.

As mobile web browsers increase in popularity, the magazine and newspaper industries have no choice but to play catch-up. Many magazines now have a digital editions that you can flip through on your phone, and prominently feature downloadable apps as well, like this Better Homes and Gardens app for the Blackberry. E-readers like Kindle are also increasing as popularity. Smart phones have already become part of the fabric of journalism.

Print journalism is still trying to find a way to catch up with the traditional internet; how can it cope with yet another sea change in the way people access content? Just how important is it to own a smart phone if you’re working in the journalism industry?